This invention relates to various reciprocative devices normally comprising a rod that functions from within a body controlling a biasing means operator. A reciprocating door closer installed on a contingent screen or storm door exemplifies such a device.
To close the door, the rod reciprocates responsive to the biasing means controlled by the device, comprising normal operation to substantially cause the door towards a closed door position. The rod can be loosely mounted with a checking mechanism for holding the door in an opened position. Utilizing the biasing means, the mechanism simultaneously engages the closer rod and the body to transpose the biasing means into friction pressure applied to the surface of the rod. Resultantly, the door is held to an opened position by the checking mechanism. More particularly, this invention relates to an improved apparatus and methodology to dampen, counter, and protect the device and the contingent door from damage due to excessive inward biasing forces, and to compensate for a superior checking mechanism which can now be commissioned to variably open the door. The invention may be incorporated with U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,829,093; 5,953,789, and 6,032,331 all to Alonso for creating a preferred door operator device.
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A brief description of a reciprocative device includes a basic door closure device which is controlled in part with fluid, either hydraulic or pneumatic. The device may typically comprise a piston assembly including a piston and sailing o-ring; piston rod varieties which include curved and non-curved surfaces; internal compression spring operators and fluid biasing operators; cylindrical piston body; sealed and non-scaled end caps and grommet; fluid restriction valves; attachment members; and the checking mechanism which holds the door opened. Such door closer devices are described in U.S. Pat. Nos. 2,732,920; 2,920,338, 3,032,806; 3,162,699; 3,566,435; 3,665,549; 4,777,698; and Can. Pat. No. 623,038. A superior checking mechanism is extensively described in U.S. Pat. Nos. 3,953,789 and 6,032,331.
Most prior art reciprocative door closer device normally comprise at least one rod which reciprocatively functions from within a body having an internal biasing means operator. The operator normally actuates for controlling two distinctive forces common to the device and the position of the door: an outward biasing force which is increasingly actuated responsive to causing the door towards the opened position, and, as inward biasing force which is decreasingly actuated while causing the rod and door towards the closed position. Normally, upon applying an external outward force the biasing operator immediately acts to counter and control the inward force. The investor believes that despite origin of the biasing forces, if either caused externally as through human interference, or if caused internally as from the device, the two forces are clearly and distinctly taught as absolutely equating towards the door position relational to the force of the device.
The checking mechanism, also mown as a hold-open tab, is axially mounted onto the rod through an aperature. The bold-open feature is manually activated by first opening the door to a desired position, thus creating an outward biasing force that controls the extending piston rod from within the piston body. A biasing inward force is then reciprocatively created and controlled by the internal biasing operator. Releasing the door, the internal operator decreasingly actuates an inward biasing force to return the rod and close the door. Once the piston body contacts the mechanism, the biasing force causes the mechanism to lever. A direct frictional pressure is torsionally created by opposing points comprised within the aperture, applied onto surfaces of the piston rod whereby the mechanism frictionally checks the device to hold the door opened. More biasing force controlled by the internal operator results in more direct pressure causing the friction onto the surfaces of the rod. As with all prior art reciprocative devices utilizing checking mechanisms, before closing the door the mechanism must be disengaged in order to return the extended rod back into the closer body. Note that U.S. Pat. No. 2,732,920 describes a cog method of checking the rod however functions similar to other prior art devices.
The art has never before revealed any substantial reason to dampen the device to protect from damage due to excessive inward biasing forces, nor to compensate for a superior checking mechanism. Prior art checking mechanisms for reciprocating door closer devices are manufactured from common sheet steel which is relatively soft and will easily slip on the rod towards failure fail when placed under similar excessive inward forces. When a door is being held opened with any checking mechanism, excessive inward biasing forces can be caused by an unsuspecting person that ages to close the door without first disengaging the mechanism. Because the rod care not reciprocate back towards the body, the extended rod therefore becomes excessive and may subject the door and device to extensive damage. A superior mechanism that is substantially tempered and hardened may not reveal any give to compensate for the excessive inward force. Not knowing that the door is actually being held opened by the mechanism, tremendous leverage may be generated by pushing on the outermost edge of the door. The person""s psychological then physical reaction may be to push harder in an effort to close the door. Most prior art mechanisms we manufactured from common sheet steel which is relatively soft and can fail when placed under similar excessive inward biasing forces.
However, a superior mechanism that is substantially tempered and hardened may increase the life of the door closer device, but unfortunately will not reveal any give to compensate for the excessive inward biasing force. Substantial damage to various components may include the contingent door and door frame, and the door closer device. If the device is not equipped with a clip plate to accommodate the doorjamb bracket, the bracket may be forcibly detached from atop the doorjamb. Because the device is typically fastened to the door with sheet metal screws that do not penetrate the entire substance of door, such as with a bolt and threaded fastener nut, the device may there be forcibly loaded from atop the door. These and other issues create a shortened life span for the device, which coincidentally offers the industry certain obsolescence resulting in frequent consumer purchases. The reader will also realize that the invention may be adapted onto any device including chose not equipped with a superior checking mechanism.
Another issue of concern defines the need for better convenience when utilizing the checking mechanism to hold the door opened for certain passage through the doorway. When people using mobility products such as wheelchairs and walkers encounter a door having a door closer device, often the device alone poses an extreme inconvenience. First, the user can not easily access the checking mechanism to hold the door opened especially if the device is located at the top of the door. Second, not only is it difficult to position the mobility product to engage the mechanism, it then becomes difficult or impossible to disengage it to close the door especially once the user is positioned on the door side opposite from the closer. Without the use of a hold-open tab to pass through the doorway, the user is not only burdened to fully open the door for accommodating the chair or walker, but must also try to push the door while negotiating through the doorway. Other door closer devices comprise checking mechanisms that are permanently attached to the closer body and require that the user push a button on the device to check the door. However, to close the door the user must cancel the checking mechanism by either again pushing the button on the device, or pushing the door further outward.
FIG. 10 illustrates a prior art door closer device (10) not to be confuse as anticipating the inventive concepts submitted herein. The coil spring assembly (50) is adapted to function with the rod (16) and the doorjamb bracket (61), for only protecting the device (10) and contingent door (not shown) from an excessive outward biasing forces (11-A) particularly from a sudden wind gust. As the rod (16) is maximally extended from the body (12), the coil spring assembly (50) dampens by providing a minimal reciprocative movement. Known with absolute certainty, this assembly does not dampen, counter, protect nor compensate the device and the contingent door from damage due to any excessive inward biasing forces. It is unclear as to why the art would offer such this assembly on the exterior piston rod of the devices as a similar assembly has long been implemented on the interior of the piston body. I believe that this exterior assembly merely complicates the device and does not offer any substantial benefit over the previous interior assembly. Replacement options for the checking mechanism are also substantially eliminated. Respectfully, none of the disclosure of this prior an assembly are anticipated, required, initiated, nor beneficial towards the superior inventions disclosed herein.
The present invention comprises a damper assembly adapted to a reciprocative door closer device and contingent door. Objects of these inventions are to dampen, counter, and protect the device and the contingent door from damage due to excessive inward biasing forces. Other objects of these inventions are to compensate the device for a superior checking mechanism. Other objects of these invention are to provide better convenience when utilizing a checking mechanism to hold the door opened for passage through the doorway, especially for people using mobility products such as wheelchair and walkers. Other objects of these invention are to optionally convert the door closer device into a door operator capable of opening a door to various positions determined by the location of the hold-open tab engaging the rod. Other objects of these invention are to create an inexpensive door operator device without substantially impeding the closing function of the door closer device. Other objects of these inventions are to permit the door to be closed when the rod is held in an extended position with a checking mechanism mounted onto the device. Other objects of these inventions are to activate an automatic door open feature by simply unlatching and pushing the door outward from a closed position. Other objects of these inventions are to variably regulate the distance that the door will automatically open determined and coinciding with the position of the checking mechanism engaged on the rod. Other objects of there inventions are to close the door with a gentle nudge. Other objects of these inventions are to permit the door to be closed smoothly without any bouncing.
The damper assembly may comprise a fixated bracket comprising an offsetting fastener meaner. Objects of there inventions are to permit universalness for a singular assembly that is adaptable to left and right hinging doors. Other objects of these inventions are to improve the fastener screws for the fixated bracket. The fixated bracket may house an extensible bracket also controlling a separate counter biasing means by usage of an operator, similar the reciprocative device adapted thereto. The extensible bracket may be further urged by the operator to control a counter outward biasing force acting to accommodate the extended rod of the device, and a counter inward biasing force acting to return the device to a normal position. Objects of these inventions are to return the device and contingent door to a normal position determined by the checking mechanism engaging the rod, thus causing the device to open and hold the door responsive to the position of the mechanism. Other objects of these inventions are to move the door to a fully closed position while the checking mechanism remains engaged on the extended rod of the device. Other objects of these inventions are to alleviate the need to return the checking mechanism to an idle position on the rod before returning the door to the closed position. Other objects of these inventions are to accommodate the length of extended rod by compensating the device. Other objects of these inventions are to create a door operator that offers a consistent and gentle operating pressure to move the door. Other object of these inventions are to create a no-pinching design which does not permit children to pinch fingers that are accidentally placed inside the assembly. Other objects of these inventions are to shorten the time required for the door to move to the closed position from any normally opened position. Other objects of these inventions are to close an unattended door being held opened by a checking mechanism during sudden wind gust conditions and if the wind is sufficient to create momentum for the door.
The counter biasing means may be controlled by various operators including the group of a spring operator means, a fluid operator means, and cog operator means. Objects of these inventions are to permit selection from various improved apparatus and methodologies without straying tram the inventive concepts disclosed herein.
The assembly can be bypassed and easily locked off try using a simple lock means to block the action of the extensible bracket. Other objects of these inventions are to allow the device to function similarly to a prior art device The members and other components may be substantially tempered and hardened. Objects of these inventions are to provide long life for the door closer device. Other objects of these inventions are to provide maximum strength for the device.
These and further objects and advantages of the invention will be apparent from the following description of the preferred embodiments thereof.